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Inspiring the Archdiocese of Baltimore

Liam Field, who just completed his freshman year at Calvert Hall College High School, is a graduate of St. Margaret School in Bel Air. Field expressed that he found the atmosphere at Calvert Hall to be the best fit for him, even though his sister attends The John Carroll School, which is only a short drive from their home. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

Navigating the leap to high school


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Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Feature, Local News, News, Schools

Endings can be hard and beginnings can be scary. No one knows that better than the students who are leaving the familiarity of their current schools and heading off to high school in the fall. Although that transition can be daunting and filled with concerns, people who have already gone through it said it doesn’t have to be.

Liam Field currently attends Calvert Hall College High School in Towson. Before his freshman year he had concerns about high school, mostly, he said, regarding academics. But he feels as if he has adjusted well. Getting involved helped. During his freshman year, Liam served as class president, was a member of the Brother Tom Miller Scholar Program and played junior varsity water polo and freshman/sophomore baseball.

His advice to incoming freshmen is to “be confident in yourself and try new things. A lot of freshman year is just getting involved.”

A freshman at St. John’s Catholic Prep in Buckeystown, Brielle Arvoy said she didn’t have a lot of concerns coming into the school. But she realized that for the ones she did have there were resources readily available and people always willing to help.

She wants incoming freshmen to know “the community wants you to succeed.” Her recommendation is to go to orientation with a lot of questions and to become a leader.

“You have to advocate for yourself and speak up,” she said.

Ava Stark, a 2026 graduate of St. Ursula Catholic School in Parkville, will attend Mercy High School in the fall. She plans to continue playing softball and is being encouraged to try out for the cheer squad by her older sister, who also attends Mercy. (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)

The high schools can also play a big role in helping students feel at ease. Dorothy Taylor-Kastrunes is a college counselor, testing coordinator and Archangel Program director for The Catholic High School of Baltimore. For those at the school who may be concerned about academics, she points out that “all of the teaching faculty and administration prioritize student success, oftentimes tutoring students before and after school, as needed.”

In addition, she said the school’s student ambassadors help freshmen during their transition by making them feel connected and welcome.

The school also has a Big Sister/Little Sister program that creates a connection between upperclasswomen and freshmen and transfer students, she added. And Catholic High hosts a Club Preview that provides information about the variety of student activities and clubs available.

“Participation in those can help students build friendships and school pride,” she said.

Ava Stark, who recently graduated from St. Ursula School in Parkville and will be attending Mercy High School in Baltimore in the fall, can attest to the role schools play in helping students feel at home. That can mean fostering a relationship while students are still in grade school and middle school.

“Throughout middle school, (Mercy)  invited us to sporting events, camps, open houses and shadow days. Attending the events really made me feel like I was a ‘Future Mercy Girl,’ ” she said.

Eighth grader Olivia Ferrante loved attending School of the Incarnation in Gambrills for grade school and the journey on which it took her. But now, she said, she is ready for her next journey at Notre Dame Preparatory School in Towson.

“I am looking forward to next year because it brings a blank canvas,” she said, “but with a fresh start, there is obviously a lot of unknown paired with it.”

But she said that she feels ready for what lies ahead.

When asked what his message to incoming freshmen would be, Liam at Calvert Hall said it is to have confidence in themselves.

”You will adjust rather quickly, especially with academics, but just take time, settle down, and realize that everybody was in your shoes at one time,” he said.

But perhaps Olivia offered the best advice for herself and other students experiencing change: “Don’t forget to accept the uncertainty by knowing God is leading you. You can always pray for guidance and trust.”

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